England is doing something it hasn’t done in nearly 60 years: looking like a genuine threat to win the World Cup. And this time, the tournament comes with a crypto sponsor.
As the Three Lions advance deeper into the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the tournament itself is quietly making history on an entirely different pitch. Kraken became FIFA’s Official Crypto Exchange Supporter on June 9, 2026, marking the first time a cryptocurrency exchange has held an official sponsorship role at a World Cup.
Football’s coming home, and crypto’s tagging along
England’s last World Cup triumph was in 1966, when they beat West Germany 4-2 after extra time. This squad, led by players like Jude Bellingham, is writing its own story, with a 2-1 victory over Norway in the quarterfinals keeping the dream alive.
The 2026 tournament is the largest in FIFA’s history, spread across venues in Canada, Mexico, and the US. It’s also the first where crypto branding is woven into the fabric of the event at the sponsor level, not just through third-party fan apps or unofficial partnerships.
